Ely woman to run ultra marathon for Magpas Air Ambulance

Michelle Berry's life turned upside down on the morning of June 20, 2023, as she woke to her husband suffering a cardiac arrest in bed.

Allistair Berry, a keen runner, went into cardiac arrest at around 5:30am in his Ely home. His wife, Michelle, said that Allistair's "heart had stopped beating" and "he gave his last breath, and was gone".

Allistair and Michelle are keen runners (Image: Berry Family)

Michelle called 999 and with the help of the call handler, gave CPR to her husband until ambulance crews arrived. 

"As I was fighting to bring my husband back to life, I was so grateful when the first crew arrived to take over."

Allistair's heart was restarted with a defibrillator by East of England Ambulance Service paramedics.

The Magpas Air Ambulance medical team arrived at the couple's Ely home soon after, and provided Allistair with "hospital-level medical care".

Magpas Doctor, Rich, and Critical Care Paramedic, Thomas, placed Allistair in a medically induced coma. 

Once he was stable enough, Allistair was escorted to Papworth Hospital under the watchful guidance of the Magpas Air Ambulance team. 

At hospital, Allistair had stents put into his heart to open his arteries again. He was brought out of his coma on the third day.

Allistair was brought out of his coma on the third day of his hospitalisation. (Image: Berry Family)

Michelle describe it as "a huge relief, that both physically and neurologically, he'd come through it well - and after just one week in hospital, he came home."

Seven months to the day since Allistair suffered a cardiac arrest, his wife, Michelle, will be taking on the 'Peddars Way Trail 48 mile Ultra Marathon', to fundraise for Magpas.

Michelle has said that she is "so passionate about helping Magpas Air Ambulance, so they can continue to operate and help more people like my Ali".

Magpas helped save Allistair's life. (Image: Berry Family)

"Only 1 in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK. 

"Without the excellent emergency medical care we received that day, the outcome probably wouldn't have been so good."

On January 20, 2024, Michelle will run from Kenttishall Heath in Suffolk, to Holme-next-the-sea on the north Norfolk coast.

Michelle has a Just Giving page for all of her donations. You can click here to check it out.